


A Golden Age

by UnwillingWhoDoesTheImpossible



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Blink and you miss it Gwen/Lancelot, Dragonlord Merlin (Merlin), Good Mordred (Merlin), Good morgana, Gwaine/Percival if you squint, M/M, just fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-02
Updated: 2020-07-02
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:53:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25035760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnwillingWhoDoesTheImpossible/pseuds/UnwillingWhoDoesTheImpossible
Summary: The Golden Age has come to pass in Camelot, everyone is settling into their new normal.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 124





	A Golden Age

**Author's Note:**

> A huge thank you to Lauryn (@eternally -- exhausted on Tumblr) for beta reading this for me. I've been writing fanfiction in secret for a while and their wonderful advice has given me the courage to finally post something.

Sometimes it was easy to forget that Merlin was royalty. Specifically, that he was Dragon royalty. After all, he was a servant. A servant who ran through the halls ignoring decorum, who made roses when attempting to conjure strawberries, and had scars on his hands from wrestling with particularly bothersome weeds.

Other times it was hard to forget.

It wasn’t always those moments when he wore a crown, or jewels, or anything majestic. But if he stepped outside, even to those without magic, it was clear that he had power there. Albion and all the Earth herself didn’t like Merlin to be forgotten, not after so long in the shadows.

Arthur would be lying if he said it wasn’t unnerving. To one moment be speaking with Merlin, his best friend and idiot, the next to be face to face with Emrys, who held more power than either of them could comprehend.

__

“Merlin?” Arthur frowned as Merlin stopped midstride again. What would it be this time? A baby owl? A lame rabbit? Arthur fought the urge to roll his eyes. “Merlin?”

“Yes?” The stories of a thousand years, if not more, gazed back at Arthur through Merlin’s eyes. His smile was soft and content as if the world was finally at peace. The king was frozen under the gaze, words failing him as they often did these days when faced with Merlin’s enigmatic ways.

“Onward?” Leon asked, stepping closer to the pair and rescuing Arthur from his stutters. The first knight resettled his cloak upon his shoulders as he waited for a reply, a vain attempt to keep away the cool air and mist rolling through the woods. Merlin took a deep breath before nodding, closing his eyes. He grinned at Arthur and Lean before turning his face to the sun and bounding forwards through the trees. Sun broke through the clouds appearing to follow Merlin. Leon wasn’t quite so cold for the rest of their journey.

__

Back in Camelot, they were greeted by an armful of dragon. At least Merlin was. Athusia burst forth from the citadel like a bat out of hell and crashed into his chest, rubbing her face against his neck emitting a noise as close to a purr as a dragon can get. Merlin laughed and stroked her back.

“Athusia! Athusia! Come back here!” Morgana ran down the steps, Gwen hot on her heels. “Oh!” The women came to a stop upon seeing the men. “You’re back!”

“Astute as always Morgana.” Arthur quipped.

“How was the trip?” Gwen asked, taking in the pink of their noses and cheeks with concern.

“Fine, M’lady.”

Gwen rolled her eyes as she did every time Leon used the title. He smirked at her and continued.

“Not bandits to speak of and… Merlin?” He trailed off watching the warlock toss Athusia in the air and quickly catch her as one might a human toddler.

“Don’t mind him,” Arthur sighed, resigned. “You know how they get after being away for too long.”

“You must be hungry?” Gwen asked, leading the group inside.

“Famished.” Arthur gave one last look over his shoulder, sighing fondly at Merlin as he followed everyone inside.

__

“Have you eaten anything?” Arthur questioned when Merlin came in significantly later that day and promptly flopped over onto the bed.

Arthur raised an eyebrow at the undecipherable answer that rose from the sheets.

“Contrary to your beliefs Merlin, I cannot read your mind,” Arthur spoke in the same voice he used when speaking to council members he found particularly dull.

“I could fix that,” Merlin said as he rolled over onto his back.

“Please don’t.”

Merlin laughed and sat up, smiling brightly at Arthur. He’d been smiling a lot these past few months, genuine things that filled his whole face and lit up rooms. Arthur loved them. The first time he saw one - the day the ban on magic was lifted - he swore he’d do everything in his power to keep them on Merlin’s face. So far, he’s been succeeding.

“How are Gwen and Morgana?”

“Good.” Arthur left his desk and joined Merlin on the bed. “The council was less frustrating than I’d expected.”

“When will you believe you’re good at this?” Merlin asked, punctuating his question with a kiss on the nose. “That you have good systems and people in place to support you?”

“What did I do to deserve you?”

“Nothing,” a shrug. “Everything.”

Arthur tackled Merlin back onto the bed.

It truly was the golden age of Camelot. Merlin could scarcely believe it happened. He was King of the Druids, Lord of the Dragons, and King Consort of Camelot. Far too many titles if you asked him, but if they meant Arthur would keep kissing his neck like that, he could get used to them.

Arthur was a great King. The round table was thriving, Morgana was the court sorcerer, while she and Merlin spent many long hours pouring over Geoffery’s no longer hidden archives. Gwen and Lancelot were happy together, where he thriving as Leon’s right hand. And Gwen excelling as the voice of the people, appointed as Arthur’s chief advisor. Gwaine spent most of his days in the lower town with Percival, teaching the children how to fight, and how to be noble - truly noble. They were extremely proud when a young orphan girl they had taught, Elaine, qualified to be a knight. Elyan, when not sparing with the Lady Morgana, reopened his father’s forge. And Mordred, well, Mordred was the first knight with magic recognized in Camelot’s ranks. Arthur saw it only fit that he train those who would follow in his footsteps.

It was indeed a golden age; if only such things lasted forever.


End file.
